Artist suffers burns in the blaze that left at least 24 people dead
By Rhea Mahbubani and Stephen Ellison ••
A survivor of the deadly fire at an Oakland mixed-use building said Saturday he’s thankful to be alive.
A survivor of the deadly fire at an Oakland warehouse said Saturday he's thankful to be alive.
Bob Mule told NBC News he belongs to a 24-hour artist collective occupying the building that burned overnight, leaving at least 24 people dead.
Mule was seen being treated in an ambulance early Saturday. He suffered "pretty gnarly" burns on his arms, hands and shoulder, he said. His vest was charred and appeared to have taken the brunt of the flames.
When the fire broke out, Mule said he was downstairs and about to start painting. But the acrid smell of smoke alerted him and a fellow artist to what exploded into a three-alarm fire.
"We were trying to figure out where the smoke was coming from, and we saw where the fire was, it was on the back left corner of the space," he said. "It all happened really quickly. The fire went up really, really quickly."
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Aerial shot of the warehouse in Oakland that burned overnight. (Dec. 3, 2016)
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: The face of a building that was the scene of a overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Firefighters investigate the scene of a overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: A woman places flowers on a fence outside a police line following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Imag
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: A drone is used to provide emergency responders with an aerial view of a warehouse following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Imag
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Three people survey the scene of a fire following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf speaks at a press conference following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Firefighters work on the scene following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Flowers bearing the message "you are my family" are placed near the scene following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Imag
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: A woman becomes emotional while speaking on the phone near the scene following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Imag
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Alameda County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Ray Kelly speaks at a press conference following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Imag
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: A man places flowers in a fence as part of a makeshift memorial following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Imag
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed speaks to the press following an overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Firefighters investigate the scene of a overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
Getty Images
OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: The face of a building that was the scene of a overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
Getty Images
OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Firefighters investigate the scene of a overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
Getty Images
OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 03: Firefighters investigate the scene of a overnight fire that claimed the lives of at least nine people at a warehouse in the Fruitvale neighborhood on December 3, 2016 in Oakland, California. The warehouse was hosting an electronic music party. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Aerial shot of the warehouse in Oakland that burned overnight. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Firefighters, sheriff's officials, police and other first responders work the scene of the deadly Oakland fire.
NBC Bay Area
Aerial view of burned structure in Oakland where at least nine people were killed and 25 are missing. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Aerial view of a building in Oakland where a fire left at least nine dead and 25 missing. (Dec. 3, 2016)
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Crews at the deadly Oakland fire deploy a drone to aid in the aftermath. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Mayor Libby Schaaf, along with police and fire officials, addresses the deadly fire in Oakland during a news conference. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
A three-alarm fire burns at a warehouse in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
The command post set up at the scene of a deadly structure fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
Oakland firefighters work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
People leave flowers in the fence outside a building where at least nine people died in a fire. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
People leave flowers in the fence outside a building where at least nine people died in a fire. (Dec. 3, 2016)
A person leaves flowers in the fence outside a building where at least nine people died in a fire. (Dec. 3, 2016)
A warehouse damaged by a three-alarm fire is photographed. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
Oakland firefighters and officials work a deadly three-alarm fire in Oakland. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
Burned out windows of an Oakland warehouse that was gutted by a three-alarm fire that killed at least nine people. (Dec. 2, 2016)
Ari Nava
A group of friends gather near the scene of the deadly warehouse fire, worried about a friend who they believe was killed in the blaze. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
Junk and other debris can be seen on the sidewalk and exterior of the building. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Strangers and friends of those believed to be inside the site of the deadly blaze begin leaving flowers outside the building. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
Strangers and friends of those believed to be inside the site of the deadly blaze begin leaving flowers outside the building. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
A woman leaves a pink carnation in memory of those who have perished. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
Alameda County Sheriff's officials on the scene. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
Alameda County Sheriff's officials on the scene. (Dec. 3, 2016)
Ari Nava
Six coroner's tents were set up outside the building. (Dec. 3, 2016)
When Mule tried to retrieve some personal belongings, he saw that a fellow collective member "had broken his ankle and was calling out for help." Mule tried helping him out, but "there was a lot of stuff in the way and the flames were too much," he said.
"There was too much smoke and ... I had to let him go," Mule said.
Although glad to be alive, he remained worried about his friend.
"I haven't seen him and there've been flames shooting out of the building for the past 30 minutes. ... I hope he's OK," Mule said.
Mule said before the fire broke out, the collective was having an event with some music, art and projections. He said the collective consists of 18 working artists throughout the day.
"It's like a living piece of art; it's always in flux, as far as the space goes," he said. "There's always something being built, being changed or rearranged."
